Monthly Archives: October 2020

Breaking News, Local

Seven Seattle police officers threaten art gallery with confiscation of display

John Mitchell created an art installation highlighting Black Lives Matter artwork and scenes of Seattle Police Department brutality at his Capitol Hill studio. The art installation uses projectors, valued at $25,000 each, to display the video clips and still images through windows and on to the Seattle East Precinct station’s ecology block barriers. Police officers complained that the installation was problematic for exiting the garage, and tonight officers confronted Mitchell.

In a video shot on October 31, seven Seattle police officers approached Mitchell, demanding he removes the projector and threatening to confiscate the art installation. In the video shared on Facebook, one of the officers says, “We’re going to give you a warning. If the officers complain some more [sic] about this light blinding you, we’ll write up a report and confiscate it. You’ve been warned [sic] multiple times.“

Earlier in the video, the same officer asks, “Have you tried driving a car out of there yet?” The ramp the officer is talking about is gated and has a small, no trespassing sign. One protester and one citizen journalist have been arrested at different times for walking up the ramp, indicating that accessing the ramp would likely be met with force.

This is a breaking story and we will continue to monitor.

BIPOC, Breaking News, Local

Seattle police meet Every Day March protesters in riot gear at Mayor Durkan’s home

The Seattle Police Department’s Community Response Group were waiting outside Mayor Jenny Durkan’s home in the Windermere neighborhood of Seattle on Saturday when protesters from the Everyday March arrived.

The police, dressed in riot gear and armed with “less lethal” weapons — along with other munitions — immediately gave a dispersal order to the peaceful demonstrators, witnesses said.

The SPD also stopped and cited every vehicle that was part of the “car brigade,” according to an EDM organizer. The vehicles were there to keep protesters on foot safe from road traffic.

A small group of officers was still on-site when we arrived on the scene.

Today represents the 155th day of continuous protest in Seattle.

This is a breaking news story.

BIPOC, National

Trump Makes proclamation on “National Day of Remembrance for Americans Killed by Illegal Aliens”

The White House released more election red meat for a segment of his base who find racist language appealing. The “Proclamation on National Day of Remembrance for Americans Killed by Illegal Aliens” released Friday is full of loaded race-baiting and misleading language.

“Our Nation solemnly stands alongside the mothers and fathers who are no longer able to see their children grow up and have families of their own and for the sons and daughters who have lost a parent or loved one at the hands of someone who never should have been inside our country in the first place.”

Donald Trump – President of the United States

Viewed as a slap in the face by the Mexican community November 1 is also Dia De Los Muertos holiday and the day picked by the Trump Administration to recognize National Day of Remembrance for Americans Killed by Illegal Aliens.

Dia De Los Muertos, literally translated to The Day of the Dead, blends pre-Columbian Mesoamerica and Aztec rituals, with European pagan and the Catholic Church All Souls Day. The celebration honors deceased family members. Celebrants believe the border between the spirit world and the real world dissolve one day a year. The souls of the dead return to be among the living to feast, drink, play music, and dance with those they loved. To honor their presence, family members treat the souls as cherished guests leaving favorite foods at their gravesites and gifts and offerings on an ofrenda, or offering.

This isn’t the first time that the Trump administration has picked a date to coincide with significant events in the Black, Indigenous, and Persons of Color (BIPOC) communities. Early this year, Trump initially picked June 19, also known as Juneteenth, for his Tulsa, Oaklahoma rally. That rally turned into a superspreader event for COVID-19. The proclamation is also riddled with falsehoods and exaggerated facts. The statement there is 400 miles of new fence along the Mexico border is factually accurate, but almost all of that is a replacement fence that was budgeted before Trump took office.

Trump did his photo opportunity at Saint John’s Episcopal Church on June 1, the same day Black Wall Street was burned and hundreds killed in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1921. The administration initially picked June 19, also known as Juneteenth, as the date for a rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The event was moved after pressure from the GOP and Oklahoma officials.

The declaration has echoes of fascist regimes such as Nazi Germany, where Adolph Hitler made similar proclamations against Jews and would publish the list of Jewish crimes in state-owned newspapers.

David Obelcz contributed to this story.

BIPOC, Local, National

BLM protesters march after shooting of Kevin Peterson Jr.

Black Lives Matter protesters, mostly dressed in black bloc, held a vigil at Cowen Park in Seattle on Friday for Kevin Peterson Junior. Peterson Jr. was shot and killed by three Clark County sheriffs deputies in Hazel Dell, Washington, on Thursday, October 29. Hazel Dell is located about 12 miles north of Portland, Oregon.

Protesters gather in response to the Kevin Peteson, Jr. police shooting in Hazel Dell, Washington.

On Thursday night, Clark County Sheriff deputies pursued Kevin Peterson, Jr. as part of an alleged drug investigation. Initially, Clark County Sheriff’s office stated that Peterson Jr. had a gun, had fired at deputies. Later on Friday, officials walked back the statement.

“Soon after the foot chase began, the man produced a handgun, and the officers backed off. A short time later, the subject encountered three Clark County deputies who all discharged their pistols. During the crime scene investigation, a Glock model 23, 40 caliber pistol was found near the deceased by independent crime scene investigators.”

Battle Ground Police Chief Mike Fort

Olivia Selto, Peterson Jr’s. girlfriend, reported she was on a video call at the time of the pursuit and witnessed Peterson Jr. get shot. She said that deputies did not check his condition as the call remained connected, and then terminated the call on the phone.

Initially, the Camas Police Department took on the investigation, but I-940 does not allow for neighboring police departments to investigate police shootings. The Battleground, Washington Police Department is acting as the public liaison for the investigation.

Back in Seattle, a group of approximately 50 people marched through the streets of the University District calling on bystanders to “get into the streets.” The march received a positive response from observers and gained several participants along Greek Row near the University of Washington. The Seattle Police Department reported that windows were broken at a Starbucks, and several arrests were made.

David Obelcz contributed to this story.

National

Penultimate national election analysis

Election Day starts in less than 77 hours. Barring some significant event over the weekend, this will be our penultimate election analysis. A series of fresh polls have come out at the national and state level, showing little change in the race. President Trump is not speaking, tweeting, or positioning himself as a man confident he can win on Tuesday.

Firewall States: We consider firewall states as the state on the FiveThirtyEight Snake Chart as having a 90% chance, or better, of tipping to a candidate. All of the states above that state (Trump) or below that state (Biden) are not battleground states.

Trump’s firewall state of South Carolina remains unchanged. Biden’s firewall state has changed from Wisconsin to Nevada. This change happened because Biden’s position has strengthened in both states.

Battleground States: We consider the following as battleground states in order of their lean from Trump to Biden:

State or District

538

RCP

Malcontent
News

Texas

Trump +2

Trump +2.3

Trump 

Iowa 

Trump +0.7

Biden +1.2

Toss Up

Ohio 

Trump +0.6

Tie

Toss Up 

Georgia 

Biden +1.0

Biden +0.8

Toss Up

Maine 2nd District

Biden +0.2

Not Tracked

Biden 

North Carolina

Biden +2.1

Biden +1.2

Toss Up 

Florida

Biden +2.1

Biden +1.2

Toss Up

Arizona

Biden +2.8

Tie

Toss Up 

Nebraska 2nd District

Biden +4.5

Not Tracked 

Biden 

Pennsylvania

Biden +5.1 

Biden +3.6

Biden 

As we head into the final weekend before the election, Iowa, Ohio, Georgia, North Carolina, Florida, and Arizona are the critical states for both candidates. It is worth noting that Trump carried all of these states in 2016. Although Real Clear Politics considers Wisconsin and Minnesota as battleground states, data indicates neither state is in play. We have consistently said that where New Hampshire goes, Maine District 2 goes and data indicates that the district is strengthening for Biden. 

There are some other election and polling trends worth noting. More early voting ballots have been submitted in Texas than all the votes received in the 2016 election. Iowa has announced they are closing 267 polling sites, mostly in the metro-Des Moines area, due to COVID. There are concerns this change will disenfranchise Democratic voters in the blue-leaning city. Additionally, the Supreme Court has decided that North Carolina and Pennsylvania will need to accept ballots postmarked by election day. However, the courts have also decided that Pennsylvania can’t start counting the over 2-million early ballots it received until election day. As a precursor to election chaos, over 230 election-related cases have been filed in federal courts across the country.

On Tuesday, Trump suggested that people could change their votes they’ve already submitted, creating the topic to trend on Google. A 45 state analysis indicated that only a handful of states allow “spoiled ballots” and only under certain conditions. Further, the window to change a ballot has closed in every state except New Hampshire.  

But what if the polls are wrong like in 2016. We’ve covered previously on who 2020 is different; most critically, Biden has consistently polled higher than Hilary Clinton did in 2016. There has not been the same indication of deflating poll numbers that battered Clinton in 2016, and we’re past the window of a Comney memo grade surprise. If the same polling error in 2016 of about 3% were to happen in 2020, Biden would still win based on all available data. 

We believe the more significant question is what President Trump will do post-election. Suppose Trump moves to invalidate the election or manipulate electors. In that case, it will almost certainly be met with protests. Federal, state, and local police officials and business leaders are very worried about post-election violence. In numerous communities, both small and large, businesses have already started boarding up windows and taking other defensive measures.  

Neither candidate nor their supporters should be thinking the election is already over. Fivethirtyeight forecasts an 89% chance Biden will win the national election. By our analysis, the race has improved for Biden to 308 vs. 230, Biden win. Real Clear Politics no toss-up map also shows the race improving for Biden. As of this writing, they are indicating the final results of 345 vs. 193, Biden.

National, Terra Firma

Hurricane Zeta makes landfall in Louisiana with 110 MPH winds

Hurricane Zeta strengthened significantly above forecasted models as a strong Category II storm with 110 MPH winds and higher gusts, making landfall in Cocodrie, Lousiana at 2:44 PM PDT. The compact storm has hurricane-force winds extending 35 miles from the center and was moving at 24 MPH. Evacuation orders along the Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, and Florida panhandle had been sparse based on forecast models, and officials now worried about thousands in harm’s way.

Hurricane Warnings, Tropical Storm Warnings, and Storm Surge Warnings have remained unchanged since Tuesday, extending from Mississippi to Florida. As of 2:00 PM PDT, Zeta was 65 miles south-southwest of New Orleans. Storm surge, responsible for most hurricane-related deaths, was forecasted to be 7 to 11 feet at the mouth of the Pearl River on the Mississippi-Alabama border, and 6 to 9 feet at Port Fourchon, located at the mouth of Mississippi River.

Zeta is the 11th named storm to make landfall in the continental United States, and the fifth system to hit Lousiana in 2020. The National Weather Service is tracking three tropical waves across the Atlantic, any of which could develop into the 28th named storm, Eta.

Breaking News, Local

UPDATED Amazon security guard drives car through protesters, at least 1 injured, driver in custody

Video 5 Comments

A vehicle drove through protesters outside of the Seattle West Precinct police station, striking at least three protesters with reports of at least one injured. A group from Seattle’s Every Day March, on their 151st day of protest were outside of the police station when a car exited from a parking garage and drove through the crowd. Reports from the scene indicate the driver is an Amazon security guard, who was asked by protesters to drive a different route but instead drove through the group. Seattle Police are reporting they have a driver in custody.

Earlier reports of Seattle car brigade drivers being ticketed appear to be untrue based on video from the scene, with drivers issued written warnings.

Among the victims was a person who was with Summer Taylor and Diaz Love on July 4, when Taylor was killed and Love gravely injured in an early morning motor vehicle attack while protesting on Interstate 5. Washington State Patrol had closed the freeway, but left access to the off-ramps open.

Video shows a large group outside of the precinct, and screams of terror as the car drove through the protesters. After there was a scene of chaos with Seattle Police working on issuing written warnings to the car brigade drivers and later harassing Every Day March leaders while they were trying to leave.

This is at least the sixth car attack against protesters in Seattle since June 7, 2020. Nikolas Fernandez drove his car into protesters on June 7, shooting one in the arm before surrendering to the police. Fernandez has been charged with felony assault. Retired Seattle police officer Molly Clark drove her car through a Seattle protest while hurling racial slurs. Clark retired from the Seattle Police Department was never charged. A Doordash driver drove through the bike brigade during a march, clipping a person and destroying a bike. That driver was never charged. Dawit Kelete drove his Jaguar SUV into protesters on I-5 in the early morning hours of July 4. He was arrested and has been charged with vehicular homicide and reckless driving.

Seattle Municipal Code Section12A.12.015(A)(4) allows protesters and vehicles to block traffic and be in the street while exercising their First Amendment rights.

Renee Raketty contributed to this story.

BIPOC, Local

Art installation raises ire of SPD East Precinct

The CHOP Gallery on Seattle’s Capitol Hill may not be open to the public but its new installation is already raising the ire of its neighbor — the Seattle Police Department’s East Precinct.

The installation includes up to five projectors streaming protest-related content onto the north-facing windows on E. Pine St. and onto the precinct itself.

A projector from the John Mithcell Art Gallery shines a mural of George Floyd onto the barricades around the East Precinct. Renee Racketty, copyright 2020, all rights reserved

The curator, John Mitchell, gave Malcontent News a tour on Monday. The projectors have not been mounted yet to their permanent positions as he continues to perfect their placement. Some of the projectors, which he acquired used, had once fetched $25,000 each.

“These are professional grade projectors once used by Nike — not sponsored,” he says.

A projector from the John Mithcell Art Gallery shines an image of Breonna Taylor on a wall close to the East Precinct. Renee Racketty, copyright 2020, all rights reserved

Before Mitchell could finish his thought, a marked SPD police cruiser pulled up. “Mr. Mitchell…” the officer began to say from his rolled-down driver side window. The officer went on to explain that one of the projectors made it difficult for him to see oncoming traffic.

Mitchell, himself an accomplished photographer, says he just wants to spark dialogue in the community and encourage other artists to act.

Editorial, National

National election tightens as both candidates get bad news

The national election, which will serve as a performance review for Donald Trump, is seven days away, with fresh polls providing worry for both parties. As of Tuesday morning, over 66-million Americans had already cast their 2020 ballots – almost equal to 50% of all ballots cast in 2020.

Bad news for team Trump came out of Iowa and Georgia. In Iowa, Trump hasn’t had a reliable poll indicating he has a lead since October 11. In Georgia, a recent series of polls are showing a dead heat. 

Although Texas moved for our forecast firewall state after a weekend of bad news for Trump, the polls have stabilized. The second-largest electoral college haul hasn’t voted for a Democratic presidential candidate since 1996. 

For Biden, the race in North Carolina, Florida, and Arizona have tightened. All three states are now polling within the margin of error. If the 2016 polling eras repeat, all three states will tip to Trump. In contrast, Pennsylvania still holds a safe margin for Biden. In contrast, Biden has firmed up his grip in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Minnesota, while Nevada remains the firewall state. 

Analysts and pundits have spilled a lot of digital ink the last few days, attempting to read between the lines. The hateful rhetoric, COVID impacting in-person voting, and less interest in third-party candidates have made projecting 2016 onto 2020 a fool’s errand. There are some knowns and discovered factors that can be projected onto the numbers:

  • People waiting to vote on election day favors undecided and younger voters; undecided voters will likely break to Trump while younger voters are favoring Biden
  • Hilary Clinton in 2016 never polled above 50%; in contrast, Biden has consistently polled above 50% and held an 8% to 11% aggregate lead over Trump through October
  • 2016 third-party candidates Johnson (Libertarian) and Stein (Green Party) carried about 5% of the vote in both Michigan and Wisconsin; none of the third-party candidates have momentum in 2020 
  • With so many early ballots cast, an October surprise such as the 2016 Comey Memo would likely have less impact on either candidate
  • Polls in 2016 were off about 3%, but it wasn’t even across all states – repeating that same margin of error, Biden safely would win the 2020 election
  • Analysis of 2016 polls showed regional differences; the southwest under-represented Democratic support while over-representing support in the rust belt and the states of Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Florida
  • The same analysis indicated that Georgia polls were accurate, along with Texas 

Neither candidate nor their supporters should be thinking the election is already over. By our analysis, the race has tightened to 298 vs. 240, a Biden win. Real Clear Politics no toss-up map paints a grimmer picture for Trump, 311 vs. 227, Biden. Hopefully, we’ll know on November 4. 

Terra Firma, Weather

Zeta strikes Mexico, expected to return to hurricane strength

Hurricane Zeta made landfall along the northern tip of the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico as a Category I storm with 80 MPH winds. Reports indicate minimal damage, with Zeta dropping 4 to 8 inches of rain before moving into the western Caribbean. The brush with land dropped the winds to 60 MPH, once again making Zeta a Tropical Storm, but restrengthening is expected with a collision course set for the Gulf Coast of the United States. 

The National Weather Service predicts Zeta will make landfall as a Category I hurricane with 80 MPH winds on Wednesday. Current projections indicate the eye of the storm projected to land between New Orleans, Louisiana, and Mobile, Alabama. Hurricane forecast is challenging, and residents from the Texas-Louisana border to Florida’s panhandle should be preparing.

Hurricane Warnings extend from Morgan City, Lousiana to the Mississippi-Alabama border. A Tropical Storm Warning extends from the Mississippi-Alabama border to the Klakoosa-Walton County line in Florida. A Storm Surge Warning stretches from the Atchafalaya River’s mouth to Navarre, Florida, and includes Lake Pontchartrain, Lake Borgne, Pensacola Bay, and Mobile Bay.

Hurricane Zeta will be historic, being the 11th named storm to make landfall in the United States during the 2020 hurricane season and the fifth tropical system to arrive in storm-battered Louisiana.